Fwd: Fw: Glozier's Talk at the Democratic Convention

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In a message dated 8/17/00 7:24:09 PM Central Daylight Time,

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<< Subj: Fw: Glozier's Talk at the Democratic Convention

Date: 8/17/00 7:24:09 PM Central Daylight Time

From: britton@... (Britton)

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This listserv deals specifically with the needs of Deafblind children.

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Los Angeles-- Fourteen year old Glozier, a longtime member of

the non-partisan national disability rights activist group ADAPT, will

address the Democratic National Convention this afternoon. , who

uses a power chair and a Liberator speech communication device, is

representing ADAPT at the Convention as a result of ADAPT protests

during the past two years. was with ADAPT during these protests

focusing on the presidential election, in which activists charged that

the major candidates for president and both political parties exclude

the voices of people with disabilities. In response to ADAPT's

demands, Vice President Al Gore has made a noticeable effort to listen

to the issues facing people with disabilities. As a result, the DNC

has invited to address the Convention.

At a closed door session with Gore last month, it was agreed that

Glozier would represent ADAPT. Governor Tommy and the

Republican National Convention did not come through on their similar

agreement with ADAPT. In his speech, will challenge the

Democratic party to reform the current long term care system, a 35

year old broken public policy that supports warehousing people with

disabilities of all ages in nursing homes and other institutions,

rather than providing services to people to live

independently in the community. " represents the message of ADAPT,

which is to reform the institutional bias in our nation's long term

care system, " said Bob Kafka of Austin Texas, a national ADAPT leader.

" is a strong and powerful leader who represents the future of the

disability rights movement. "

Public speaking is nothing new to Glozier, an authority on the U.S.

Constitution. In May, testified before a Congressional Committee that

was considering legislation which would jeopardize the Americans with

Disabilities Act (ADA.) At the hearing, Glozier squared off with Clint

Eastwood who favors weakening the ADA, and Glozier mounted a skillful

challenge. Last month Senator Tom Harkin honored with the

Harkin Award at the 2000 Conference of the National Council on

Independent Living (NCIL). The Washington Post Online website recently

featured in a photo essay by award winning photographer Lynn

.

On the heels of the Democratic National Convention, will join

forces with thousands of disability rights advocates as March for

Justice in Washington DC, October 3, supporting the Constitutionality

of the ADA. The rally before the Supreme Court will put the Supreme

Court, Congress, and the

American public on notice, that and the rest of the disability

rights movement will not tolerate gutting the civil rights of citizens

with disabilities.

Burnett ph. cell

Janine Bertram-Kemp ph. fax

Tari Sue Hartman: ph. cell at DNC

http://www.adapt.org/ adaptpr@...

Fred Fay http://www.jfanow.org

Getting Out the Disability Vote: http://nod.org/vote2000/vote2000.html

Register to Vote Online at: http://www.fec.gov/votregis/vr.htm

For Your States's Election Resources:

http://www.iupui.edu/~epackard/eleclink.html

Project Vote Smart: http://www.vote-smart.org/

Glozier's Talk at the Democratic Convention

>

> Glozier's Talk at the Democratic Convention

>

>Although both parties (Democrats and Republicans) promised ADAPT we

>would be invited to address their conventions, only the Democrats

>lived up to that commitment. Glozier spoke this evening, and

>thanks to late schedules he spoke close to prime time. Here is what he

>said:

>

>Hello I am Glozier, a 14 year old freshman at West Greene High

>School in Greene County, Pennsylvania. I've advocated for disability

>rights with ADAPT since I was 8 years old. ADAPT is a national

>grassroots disability rights organization that wants to change the

>institutional bias in the long term care system so no person, young or

>old, is forced into a nursing home or other institution. ADAPT is

>working to create a national attendant care program called the

>Medicaid Community Attendant Services and Supports Act or MiCASSA.

>Introduced by Senators Tom Harkin, Democrat from Iowa, and Arlen

>Specter, Republican from Pennsylvania, MiCASSA, or S 1935, gives

>Americans with disabilities a real choice of where we live and receive

>services. Right now Medicaid guarantees care in a nursing home or

>other institution, but gives no guarantee in the community. This is

>wrong! They say " America the land of the free " , but really we are not

>free when the walls of institutions and nursing homes keep children,

>young adults, and older people locked up, because of a failed 35 year

>old policy. MiCASSA will reform the system and let the money and

>services follow the person! You need to support this goal.

>

> In a speech to West Berlin in June 1963, F. Kennedy said:

> " Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect, but we

>have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in, to prevent them

>from leaving us. While the wall is the most obvious and vivid

>demonstration of the failures of the Communist system, for all the

>world to see, we take no satisfaction in it, for it is, as your Mayor

>has said, an offense not only against history but an offense against

>humanity, separating families, dividing husbands and wives and

>brothers and sisters, and dividing a people who wish to be joined

>together. Freedom is indivisible, and when one man is enslaved, all

>are not free. "

>

>Putting people in Nursing Homes or other institutions without giving

>them any other choices, is an offense against history and an offense

>against humanity. The Berlin wall was torn down and now is the time to

>Tear down the Walls of the Nursing homes and other Institutions that

>separate families, divide husbands and wives, brothers and sisters,

>and people who wish to be in the community. It is time for the

>Democratic Party to reform the long term care system, pass MiCASSA and

>FREE OUR PEOPLE!

>

>The Supreme Court ruled last year in the Olmstead case that people

>should be in the most integrated setting if that was their choice, and

>that unnecessary institutionalization is discrimination. In October

>another case will be heard that questions the constitutionality of the

>ADA. If the States get the right to implement the ADA any way they

>choose, the civil rights of people with disabilities will be

>abolished, and all our hard work of the past 10 years will have to

>begin all over! The States are not allowed to rule the civil rights of

>other minority groups in America and it's not fair to let them rule

>the civil rights of people with disabilities.

>

>IDEA has allowed me to be taught in the " Most integrated setting. "

>Regular education with supports, gives me the same education as my

>non-disabled peers. IDEA still has a long way to go; kids are still

>segregated in " special ed " classrooms where they learn about 10% of

>what they need to know to live. IDEA needs to take the Special out of

>Education and teach ALL kids! Because of the ADA and Section 504 of

>the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 people with disabilities can exercise

>our civil rights and can contribute to society, by living, learning

>and working in the community. But again, there is still a lot of work

>to be done. Inaccessible buildings are still being built. Movie stars,

>like Clint Eastwood testify to Congress because they are sued for

>breaking the law. Businesses discriminate against disabled

>employees. Too often people like myself are at a much greater risk of

>institutionalization because of the higher level of care we need to

>remain independent.

>

>I'm lucky because my parents learned about federal laws to help me.

>They learned early that professionals didn't have high expectations

>for me, and decided that high expectations were the only way I would

>get anywhere in this world. They made sure, after a doctor recommended

>that I live in a crippled children's hospital, that I get the same

>opportunities that my brothers, and Nigel. Thank you mom and

>dad!

>

>I'm not safe though. When I turn 18 and my parents aren't there I will

>be at a much greater risk of going into a nursing home or other

>institution. And I am just one of thousands of Americans caught in

>this " offense against humanity " . I dream of going to college to be a

>writer and lawyer, and eventually becoming the first United States

>President with Cerebral Palsy! Who knows, in the year 2024, I may be

>up here again giving my acceptance speech for your nomination. Without

>a guarantee of services in the community, my dreams will not be

>realized, they will be my nightmare. What are the Democrats going to

>do for my future? What will you do to reform the long term care

>system? I challenge the Democratic Party to work with people with

>disabilities, and future leaders like myself to reform the long term

>care system, pass MiCASSA, Tear down the walls and FREE OUR PEOPLE.

>

>47

>

>

>

>

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